
I was Mordred writes, "I've been out of work for a while now... however, every cloud must have a silver lining. Tell us your stories of the upside to unemployment."
You can tell us about the unexpected downsides too if you want.
( , Fri 3 Apr 2009, 10:02)
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I was lucky enough to spend a whole year 'unemployed' whilst writing up my PhD thesis. I seems that the British government in their infinite wisdom decided some time ago to only fund PhDs (and have you registered as a student) for the first three years yet have no punishment if it is not submitted in under four. This means that the vast majority of UK PhDs spend a year signing on, which is brilliant.
This is how it works: you have two weeks to make up some bullshit about ways you've been looking for a job, these can include: reading the newspaper, talking to friends (in the pub?), performing an internet search all that sort of stuff. You can knock that crap out in around 20 mins and spend the rest of the fortnight watching 'homes under the hammer', wanking, and sleeping off hangovers paid for by the government. I really don't know why I bothered to get a job....
Oh yeah, and if they start hassling you about 'new deal' etc. which they do after you've been signing for 6 months you can just not sign on one week, do a 'rapid re-sign' a few days later and be put back to square one! yay!
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 4:51, 8 replies)

let me reiterate: if you get funding for your PhD it means it's a worthy topic and you are considered a worthy scholar ;)
Yours in-the-money,
Dr CHCB.
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 9:48, closed)

I got a job after the three year's funding ended which made writing the thesis take forever. Well, it took two years, but you get my drift.
And what do you do with a PhD when you've finished? I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I've found it useful to call myself Dr BearWithLittleBrain.
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 10:11, closed)

"Oh no! He's bleeding! IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?" kinda moments.
Then all you need to do is poke some organs.
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 10:15, closed)

and then you wonder why you bothered and start envying people with 'real' jobs.
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 10:53, closed)

"Damnit Jim, I'm a doctor not a {insert appropriate profession} !"
( , Mon 6 Apr 2009, 11:06, closed)
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